Heading to a festival in a city can be overwhelming: there’s usually only two or three days and the lineups are always filled to the very edge of time, and at points it feels like time itself may break. Overlapping set times makes you wish you could duplicate yourself to be in two places at once, and I’m often thinking about Hermione Granger and her time-turner in these moments.
Sònar Lisboa’s lineup this year is small but incredibly well curated. Spotlighting some of the most exciting and influential names in both the local and international underground music scenes, it’s set to be a few days of sonic exploratory bliss. To help you navigate your weekend, SLEEK have handpicked 5 artists that are not-to-be-missed at this year’s edition of the festival.
Image Courtesy of Principe.
Principe
Pioneering Lisbon label Príncipe have spent almost 15 years reflecting the musical rhythms of the African diaspora. Many of the artists on this label are Portuguese-born descendants of countries on Africa’s west coast, and so the label specializes in a high-energy amalgam of African dance styles known as batida – a ground-breaking genre that has its roots in the city’s suburbs and has made its way to the ears of global audiences.
For Sónar Lisboa, they’re collaborating with Columbian label TraTraTrax to present a a showcase of rhythmically diverse, polyglottal dance music. The label was founded in 2020 by Sánchez (known as Nyksan), JP López (Verraco) and Daniel Uribe (DJ Lomalinda) who each had a desire for a space in which they could experiment and build community through music. The two coming together for Sónar is a spiritual collaboration indeed, and the sounds are set to be some of the most interesting you’ll have heard in a while.
Image Courtesy of Sónar.
Molero
Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Alexander Molero is an artist creating enigmatic and utopian soundscapes inspired by the tropical and specifically the exotic desire of the West towards these sites.
In his first record, Ficciones Del Trópico released on Holuzam – which translates to Tropic Fictions – he used a Yamaha CS-60 Synthesizer, to create soundscapes for the wilderness reminiscent of the European explorers that faced the unknown land of the Amazon forest in the 19th century. Eight pieces, 44 minutes, with titles referencing birds, animals and landscapes that simulate a continuous discovery.
Molero’s sounds invite you into his imagination and the way in which his perceptions of the world can be formed into sound. For Sónar Lisboa, Molero presents a live dreamy and halluncinatory set for your mind to fall into.
Image Courtesy of Anetha.
Anetha
Poised, playful and powerful, Anetha’s (@anetha_music) updated version of techno remains true to the genre’s blueprint, as you might expect from someone who originally trained as an architect.
The French artist’s modern sound looks beyond four-to-the-floor kicks but maintains the essence of the rave, incorporating trance, drum’n’bass, and even deconstructed club tracks. 2024 was her biggest year yet, with the release of her debut album Mothearth, magazine cover features, and a series of high profile dates – including a show stopping set at Sónar by Night in Barcelona – around the world.
For Sónar Lisboa, Anetha will present her first-ever visual show with “EXHIBIT”. Working with a team of visual artists led by Femur, she’s offering a glimpse into the inside of her mind.
Image Courtesy of Dengo Club.
Dengo Club
Dengo Club is one of Lisbon’s leading LGBTQIA+ collectives, with events that blend local queer and POC artists with the best black and latin DJs and live acts from the global underground: baile funk, afro house and everything in between. At Sónar Lisboa 2025, residents Saint Caboclo and Banu are joined by Toronto’s San Farafina, a core member of ‘post-border’ afro-diasporic collective moonshine.mu, plus a live set from rising Galician-Brazilian artist Lua de Santana.
Image Courtesy of Rita Vian.
Rita Vian
A lyricist and composer, Rita Vian seamlessly weaves together electronica, fado, and urban poetry. Her latest album, SENSOREAL (October 2023), is an intimate journey into her artistic universe—a soundscape where tradition meets innovation.
Blending the soulful depth of R&B and rap with the haunting essence of traditional Portuguese fado, Rita Vian redefines the genre with an electronic and poetic edge. Her voice is deeply connected to Lisbon and its roots—a captivating presence that bridges fado’s melancholic beauty with the fresh pulse of electronic music. At the forefront of a stylish, worldly generation, Rita’s artistry is both timeless and forward-thinking.
For Sónar Lisboa, the artist presents an emotional live set that weaves together all of her influences and allows us a look inside her mind.
Tickets for Sónar Lisboa are available now. Get yours here.